TIMBERFRAME STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
TIMBERFRAME HOUSE - A LARGE SCALE LEGO GAME
The timber frame structural system is a relatively simple constructive solution and consists of several wooden frames of different sizes and thicknesses, with load-bearing role, which make up the structure of the house. In the past, wood was trimmed on site and the frames were built by hand, but now, thanks to available technology, timber frame structures can be manufactured off-site and the structural elements are delivered on site as prefabricated elements: walls, wooden floors or roof trusses.
Every timber frame house we build starts off-site, in our factory, by prefabricating the main construction elements: the interior and exterior walls. The walls are actually prefabricated wooden panels of different thicknesses, 45x100 / 150 / 200mm, which are then closed with OSB, DHF, Vidiwall or Fermacell, thus creating a cavity which is filled with thermal insulation, such as mineral wool, rockwool, blown-in cellulose, wood fiber, sheep wool or straw. Depending on the project specifications and on site accessibility, we propose several types of prefabricated timber frame structures:
RAW STRUCTURE
Timber frame structure closed on one side with OSB. It is a simple and light weight structure that can be assembled by hand
INSULATED STRUCTURE
Timber frame structure closed on both sides with OSB and insulated with mineral wool, cellulose and other insulating materials
SEMI-FINISHED STRUCTURE
Timberframe structure closed on both sides, properly insulated on the outer side and ready for finishing, both inside and outside
ADVANTAGES OF TIMBER FRAME SYSTEM
Unlike the classic system of masonry and concrete frames, timber frame houses have many advantages, starting primarily from the structural material, wood - a very versatile material, available in abundance in nature, which is renewable, recyclable and with increased durability over time. In addition, as a structural system, timber frame has the following advantages:
REDUCED CONSTRUCTION TIME
The prefabricated structure of a timberframe house is assembled on site up to 40% faster and more efficient, without unforeseen costs
LIGHT WEIGHT STRUCTURE
The low density of the wood makes the timber frame structure 2-3 times lighter, the load on the foundation decreases, and its costs as well
MILIMETRIC ACCURACY
Each element of a timber frame building is trimmed manually or automatically with a CNC with tolerances of the order of millimeters
But more important than that, is the fact that the timber frame system is ergonomic and thus a prefabricated wall is not only load-bearing, but also contributes significantly to the thermal performance of the building. A semi-finished exterior wall reaches a very good heat transfer coefficient U, according to the requirements of the nZEB standard, in a relatively small thickness of approx. 30 cm in this example, if we also add the interior and exterior finishes.
Other advantages of the timber frame system include earthquake behavior or predictability of construction and operational costs, where the energy efficiency component plays a particularly important role in the energy consumption of the house during its operation. We have detailed more about these topics in the blog articles.